KMorrisD wrote:
>> Now that consulting foresters and professional loggers are coming of age, the
> burros are no longer necessary. But the FUNCTION they served--mediating
> conflict--still needs to be performed. The big question is who will perform
> that function and how?
If a state licensing act is constructed properly, mediating conflict
would be through the board that manages the act. Not the SAF, not the
ACF, not the DEM, but that body that controls the licensing. State AMA
chapters, and state BAR's come to mind. Of course, you are creating a
new set of burros, but if the thing is set up correctly in the first
place, each side of the profession would have their "burro" in the
decision process. That is, each side that is subject to the licensing.
I for one would think that if you practice at any level of forestry in a
state, either private, company, state or federal, you need to be
licensed equally with the rest. And the board of directors comes from
that licensed pool, not political hacks appointed by the state. Go back
to Joes Jeffersonian view and have the board ellected by the profession,
to fill slots designated to segments of that profession, plus land
owners, or land owners associations.
Professional loggers? Not admitted unless foresters, as well.
I would see a five member panel for directors, government (not two seats
for state and federal), corporate (hopefully at the working level),
consultant, and land owner. For breaking a tie vote, I would have a
wild card, ellected at large by the licensed members. Once established
it would be beyond the reach of the state, just as the bar is now.
Those of you familiar with lawyers would recognize that the bar controls
their profession a hell of a lot tighter that any governmental agencies.
In Texas the state bar has a resolution board that is appointed and does
not necessarily comes from the profession. It considers claims against
the lawyers. In my county the county democratic chairman (he owns a
local gas company) is on the board of resolution for the bar, and sits
in judgement on lawyers. Unfortunately, there is no capital punishment!
If you want to have the stroke of a true profession, take a page from
the lawyers book, but keep our ethics and morals.
--
Don Staples
UIN 4653335
Web Offerings: http://www.livingston.net/dstaples/